Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Events Planned for the Raleigh, North Carolina Area

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an integral part of the civil rights movement. His legacy will forever live on in the hearts and souls of every American wanting to live in a peaceful world. Raleigh is a progressive area which has had it fair share of civil rights growth from the pre Civil War days. Businesses in the area are planning events surrounding the history of the Civil Rights movement. As a small business owner, your role would be to embrace the culture of the movement and be prepared for increased traffic due to several events in the area.

N.C. State University's Martin Luther King Jr. Campus Commemoration:

Jan. 12, 2011

11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

NC State University will kick off the festivities by having a commencement speech by Dr. Dwight Hopkins, professor of theology at the University of Chicago. Later in the day there will be a moment of silent march on the main campus. The day is capped off by the reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech by Rashad Hurst, a high school student recognized for his academic achievement. He most recently won the Merit Achievement Award for excellence in algebra and Presidential Award for Education Excellence.

Contemporary civil rights movement at N.C. Central University

Jan. 11, 2011 - Jan. 17, 2011

Time depends on the event.

Several events are planned at one of North Carolina's premier Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The commemoration begins on January 11, 2011 with a march, rally and wreath lying to remember the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The events will be concluded on Jan. 17, 2011 with the MLK Day of Service. This event is planned in conjunction with the local Habitat for Humanity.

Screening of "Citizen King" at Duke University

Jan. 13, 2011

7:00 p.m.

Duke University will hold a special screening of the movie Citizen King. This independent film follows the final five years of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life. The event will be held at the Rare Book Room in the Perkins Library.

Stop Hunger Now Challenge

Jan. 14, 2011

9:00 a.m.

Stop Hunger Now Challenge is a friendly competition between volunteer organizations. The competition is held at Wake Tech and involves packing a box of food in the smallest amount of time. The box contains 36 meal packets, 216 servings, and enough food to feed 6 people. This competition is in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with his belief in helping those in need.

There will be several event planned around the Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday in the Raleigh area. Embrace the spirit of community and plan to be a part of the festivities. Now is a time for the Raleigh small business owner to show their community support.